The Summer of 2020/2021: What our players got up to

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Kiwis all over the country got to enjoy a well-deserved summer break after a tough 2020. Our New Zealand rugby players were no different. We had a scroll through the social channels and caught up with what some of our players got up to over the summer.

All Blacks and Blues lock Patrick Tuipulotu had a special new family member join him and fiancé Phoenix Karaka on Christmas Day. They welcomed their first born into the world just before Christmas. Congratulations to you both.

Credit: @pattytuips

Black Ferns Sevens youngster played tour guide for her sister over the break, climbing Mount Maunganui in the process.

Credit: @alenasaili

All Blacks Sevens playmaker Sione Molia spent some quality time with his new wife, Tyler, over the summer. Exploring the far north and visiting Cape Reinga.

Credit: @smolia_05

It looked like Black Ferns lock Eloise Blackwell absolutely cleaned up on Great Barrier Island, pulling in some massive kingfish to feed her whānau.

Credit: @__ellaphant

Speaking of fishing, All Blacks and Crusaders midfielder Jack Goodhue also went out for a fishing trip in Northland and reckons his catch was bigger than his wife, Sophia’s. What do you reckon?

Credit: @jack_goodhue

New Muma and Black Ferns skipper Les Elder enjoyed some quality family time, going camping around the east coast of the North Island.

Credit: @lesketu

It was great to see a couple of the Chiefs boys hanging out in Gisborne for Rhythm and Vines. All Blacks midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown caught up with his Waikato and Chiefs teammate Quinn Tupaea.

Credit: @anton_lb

Sarah Hirini, skipper of the Black Ferns Sevens, celebrated her nephew’s first birthday at home in the Manawatū.

Credit: @sarahgoss10

All Blacks Sevens veteran Kurt Baker kept up his mouth-watering cooking throughout the summer (@krutskitchen), but when he was out of the kitchen, he also kept the fitness up by climbing Mount Isthmus in Central Otago.

Credit: @krutbaker

We can’t get enough of this pic of Black Ferns Sevens legend Kelly Brazier’s son Oakley tucking into an ice cream in Papamoa.

Credit: @kellybrazier

Ngā Karere o te Wā

Tirohia Te Katoa
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All Blacks aim to improve discipline in second Bledisloe Test
Knowing there was still much to improve in their game would be plenty of incentive for the All Blacks as they attempt to wrap up another Bledisloe Cup series against Australia back at Eden Park on Saturday.
Air New Zealand scores extra flights for Bledisloe Cup match
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Rennie happy with Wallabies ‘character’ at Eden Park
Australia coach Dave Rennie said conceding a try just before halftime to the All Blacks and then gifting an intercept try after the break had given New Zealand momentum that carried them to their 33-25 win at Eden Park in the opening Bledisloe Cup game.
Plenty to work on ahead of second Test – Foster
Australia's lively start and strong finish to the first Bledisloe Cup Test at Eden Park on Saturday left the All Blacks with plenty to work on after their 33-25 win.
Humble Smith proud to become All Blacks' latest centurion
Achieving a century of Test caps is usually an incentive for teammates to perform well to honour the recipient, but, on Saturday at Eden Park, All Blacks rugby's newest centurion halfback Aaron Smith was the one providing the inspiration.
Lions roar in opening round of Bunnings NPC
Wellington's bonus point 54-7 swamping of Northland sees it on top of the Bunnings Warehouse national championship after the opening round at the weekend.
Canterbury extend lead in Farah Palmer Cup Premiership, while Wellington steal win over Counties
Defending champions Canterbury demonstrated their intent to retain the Bunnings Farah Palmer Cup when claiming a decisive 32-7 win over Auckland at Eden Park on Sunday.
All Blacks hold off Australia in Bledisloe Cup opener
Blindside alley proved a path of gold for the All Blacks as they rampaged through the third quarter to set up a 33–25 win over Australia in the first Bledisloe Cup game at Eden Park on Saturday.
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Aaron Smith will become just the tenth All Black to play 100 Tests when the All Blacks face Australia in the opening Bledisoe Cup clash of 2021 at Eden Park on Saturday night.
Rieko Ioane relishing another chance to play on Eden Park
It's a measure of the competition for places on the All Blacks wings that Rieko Ioane struggled to remember when he last played a Test at Eden Park when interviewed ahead of Saturday's Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia.
All Blacks wary of galvanised Wallabies
Diminished in strength due to player suspensions the Wallabies would potentially be even harder to crack in Saturday's first Bledisloe Cup Test against the All Blacks in Auckland.
Eighteen years of Bledisloe Cup dominance on the line
Eighteen years of dominance over Australia in Bledisloe Cup contests will go on the line at Eden Park on Saturday when the All Blacks take the first step in retaining the trophy on yet another series influenced by the global pandemic.
Bunnings NPC Round 1 Match Appointments and Team Lists
The Bunnings NPC kicks off on Friday 6 August with Tasman Mako out to defend their Premiership title and a new contender looking to rise up from the Championship.

We are excited for the challenge - McKellar
Wallabies assistant coach Dan McKellar said the side were excited rather than daunted by having to play the All Blacks on consecutive weekends at Eden Park in the opening games of the Bledisloe Cup.
All Blacks team named for opening Bledisloe Cup Test against Australia
The All Blacks team has been named to play Australia in the opening Bledisloe Cup Test presented by Steinlager at Eden Park on Saturday 7 August (kick-off 7.05PM).
Three Wallabies dropped for opening Bledisloe Cup clash
Wallabies Marika Koroibete, Pone Fa'amausili and Isi Naisarani will be missing from their Bledisloe Cup Test side to meet the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday when it is named after they breached team protocols.
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The Bunnings NPC race looks wide open in both the Premiership and Championship.
Farah Palmer Cup Round 4 Match Appointments and Team Lists
We’ve got some mouth-watering clashes in Round Four of the Farah Palmer Cup. The classic Auckland-Canterbury battle at Eden Park headlines the round, while rivals Wellington and Counties Manukau will fight it out at Sky Stadium on Saturday morning.